5 Everyday Items That Can Be Turned Into Jewelry

Some people don’t mind handing over their hard-earned cash for some very expensive jewelry. While we have nothing against treating yourself to pricey ornaments on occasion, there are more economical ways to go about procuring a vast inventory of fashionable accessories.

A great way to get your hands on some inventive jewelry is to design and create the pieces yourself. There are tons of everyday items you that, with a little skill and a bit of help from a few online guides, can turn into chic bracelets, funky rings, necklaces and more. We’ve put together a short list of five projects you can get started on right away, with very little investment in extra supplies at all.

1. Cut-Coin Jewelry

Coins are everywhere. Domestic and foreign coins can easily be turned into delightful jewelry. With an ordinary drill and a small jeweler's saw, you can transform your old (or new) coins into pendants and earrings. Most coins already have an interesting figure or design on the face or back of them. All you have to do is cut away the unnecessary material, and voilà—you have a sculpted piece of decorative art that you can wear, as well as a cool story about how you learned how to make it.

2. Domino Necklace

If you’re into quirky jewelry or art, why not make a domino necklace? It’s not hard to do at all. You can drill a hole into the domino near the top of the piece, or glue on a hook or small spacer bead, and then thread some leather, ribbon or string through it to create a necklace. With some glue, paint, small beads and other crafts accessories, you can change the color and look of your domino with ease, which will give your necklace an artsy or holiday edge. The design choices are almost limitless, and they’re completely up to you.

3. Earrings Made From Paperclips and String

Earrings woven together from paperclips and string are charming, and can be quite stylish. The best part is that you couldn’t ask for less expensive construction materials. The basics of putting one of these earrings together aren’t hard to grasp. The paperclip will form the shape, which is often a triangle but doesn’t have to be. Once you’ve bent the paperclip into shape, you’ll tightly wrap the string (any color you heart desires) around the border. After you’ve a wrapped the border, you can weave the string across the negative space, between the edges of the paperclip. With a little practice, you should be producing cool paperclip and string earrings in no time at all.

4. Bracelets From Computer Keyboard Keys

If you have an old computer keyboard lying around, you can tear it up and turn those keys into a nifty bracelet or necklace. With some jump rings, glues, string, pliers and a few other everyday items, you can take your keyboard apart and, in a relatively short while, build yourself some very original jewelry. When people see all of those smart letters and numbers hanging from your wrist or neck, they’ll realize just how intelligent you actually are … right?

5. Necklaces and Bracelets From Recycled Holiday Cards

Necklaces and bracelets put together from recycled birthday and holiday cards are a piece of cake to make, and depending on the designs of the cards you choose, incredibly vibrant and easy on the eyes. All you have to do is cut the cards into the shapes you like. If you’d like them to be a bit more durable, you can laminate the pieces as well (you’ll need a small laminating machine). To finish up, drill holes into the individual pieces, and then string them together with jump rings, and add a clasp to finish up. Now you’re done, and the proud owner of a birthday-card bracelet!